(Updates with additional details)
By Patrick Yoest
Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
WASHINGTON -(Dow Jones)- U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., D-Ill., denied Wednesday that he had engaged in a quid pro quo in his bid to replace Barack Obama in the Senate, saying that he is not the target of a federal investigation.
Jackson was widely reported Wednesday to be the person known as "Senate Candidate No. 5" in a 76-page indictment of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich for corruption charges. The charges stem, in part, from alleged attempts by Blagojevich to benefit financially from his power to appoint the replacement in the Senate for President-elect Obama.
According to court papers, Senate Candidate No. 5 was discussed by Blagojevich in recordings as a possible participant in a pay-to-play scheme.
"I did not initiate nor authorize anyone, at any time, to promise anything to Governor Blagojevich on my behalf," Jackson said a press conference Wednesday. "I never sent a message or an emissary to the governor to make an offer or to plead my case or to propose a deal about the U.S. Senate seat."
Jackson said he had spoken to the U.S attorney's office involved in the Blagojevich case and they had told him he is not a target of the investigation and not "accused of any misconduct."
Jackson on Wednesday also called for Blagojevich to resign, saying he "would be too severely tainted" to continue serving as governor.
Jackson met with Blagojevich Monday to discuss the Senate vacancy. According to Jackson, it was the first time the two had met "in about four years."
"I presented my record, my qualifications and my vision," Jackson said. "Despite what he may have been looking for, that's all I had to offer."
Court papers released after Blagojevich's arrest Tuesday stated that emissaries of Senate Candidate No. 5 offered up to $1 million - through fundraising - for Blagojevich.
Blagojevich's already compromised political standing took another hit Wednesday when Obama, through a spokesman, called for Blagojevich's resignation.
Jackson has hired an attorney, James Montgomery, Sr., to represent him in the Blagojevich matter. Montgomery said Wednesday that Jackson had conducted a "public and transparent" campaign to replace Obama.
Jackson has been considered a leading candidates for the Senate vacancy. Democratic Reps. Danny Davis and Jan Schakowsky, as well as Illinois State Senate president Emil Jones and Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs secretary Tammy Duckworth, have also been discussed.
Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., has called for Illinois' general assembly to put in a place a special election to elect Obama's replacement, in order to keep Blagojevich out of the process. Reid has also called for a process not involving Blagojevich to be put in place to replace Obama.
-By Patrick Yoest, Dow Jones Newswires; 202-862-3554; patrick.yoest@dowjones.com
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Publié le 10 Décembre 2008 Copyright © 2008 Dowjones